Electro-magnetic mooring



(No Model.)

H. P. WELLMAN. ELEGTEO MAGNETIC MOOEIEG.

No. 408,778. Patented Aug. 18, 1888.

N, PETERS. Pnomumognphur, wnhingtor D. t;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARLAN P. ELLMAN, OF CATLETTSBURG, KENTUCKY.

ELECTRO-MAGNETIC MOORING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 408,778, dated. August13, 1889.

Application filed April 2S, 1889. Serial No. 308,275. (No model.)

n in@ drawings. C

The object ot' my inventionis the provision of an electric mooring forvessels of all kinds which shallract immediately, easily, and with butlittle expense of force and time.

To this end I have devised such a combination of attracting devices asshall by contact under proper conditions, as specified in the followingspecification, cause the fixing of the vessel to its wharf, dock, orslip without the use of ropes and snubbing-posts.

The novel features of my invention will appear in the claims allowed atthe end of this speciiication.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of the end of avesselcoming up to a landing, showing the arrangement of doubleaction magnetsas controlled either from the boat or from the wharf. Fig. 2 is a planof a rectangular barge approaching a wharf, one end of the barge beingshown as provided for control of the mooring from the dook, and theother end, being shown broken away from the first, shows the magnetscontrolled from the boat and also the electrodes as arranged for doubleaction. Fig. 3 is a plan of a ferryboat or other double-ender enteringits slip, thc whole being shown as arranged for control exclusively fromthe boat, this being one of the modifications of my single system.

My invention is best adapted to use in still waters-as on inland riversand lakes-and Where there is little or no tide; but I am not to beunderstood as limiting myself to the use of the same in such places, asby slight modifications the same may be adapted to use where the tide isconsiderable and where there is an appreciable sea.

The gist of my invention is the provision of attracting-surfaces ofcontact between the wharf or slip and the front, rear, or side of wharfor upon the vessel, controlled either by the guard upon the former or bythe wheelman upon the lat-ter, although of course the mode of operatingis no part of my invention, as any mode may be employed which is knownin the use of the electric current for magnetic purposes.

A is the vessel, which may be of any charh acter.

B is the wharf, dock, slip, or landing. (Best shown in Fig. l.) Incoming into a slip or up to a wharf there is always'some portion of thevessel which comes in cont-act with said wharf, and if either the dockor the vessel at this point be provided with either an active or aneutral magnetic surface, while the other surface is of the oppositenature, there will be such a holding between the surfaces thus incontact as to keep the vessel up to her moorings.

Fig. l shows a device best adapted to very still waters, where there isno tendency to tear the vessel away from the wharf. In this iigure, Care the wharf-magnets, and D are the boat-magnets, situated, as shown,at the same heights above the water and in such positions as to come incontact when the boat is brought up to the wharf. These magnets areordinary electro-magnets made of soft iron, around which wires arecoiled for the purpose of magnetizing the core at will, while the endsot' the cores extend outward for contact at the proper time. These endsare shown ilush with the vessel, although it is not absolutely essentialthat they should be so, the former being the better manner, as there isthen no danger of the breakage of the ends through violent concussion ofthe vessel with the wharf or through diagonal contact of the two. Thewhole series of magnets upon the wharf as well as on the boat is shownconnected by wires, in order that one current may magnetize'them all.

There there are two sets of magnets used, there will of course be onlyone battery or dynamo for the operation of the whole, although, if founddesirable, two batteries or dynamos may be used. The winding of themagnets on the boat must be such, however, that opposite poles will bebrought everywhere in contact, and thus it will evidently IOO be best tohave all the magnets upon the Wharf so arranged as to expose the pole ofthe same name to Contact, while the exposed poles on the boat are allofthe opposite name. lVhere this double system is employed-that is, wherethere are employed magnets upon the boat as well as upon the wharf-theremust be means supplied for the transmission of the current through thewater, and these electrodes are shown at each side of the vessel, Fig.2, and under the surface of the water, Fig. l. In following the courseof the current through the batteries and the magnets the whole will bebest seen in Fig. f3 at the right. Here 1l is the battery or batteries,and II isthe switch, in this case situated upon the boat and preferablyunder the control of the pilot or wheelman.

supposing the boat to be approaching the wharf from the right in Fig.the path of the current will be as follows: Leaving the bat tery, itwill go first to the electrode E, for instance, and thence throughthewaterto the electrode F on the same side of the wharf. (Shown in Fig.l.) Then the current will pass through the magnets on the wharf, wherethe wire is so wound as to ea-use the north poles to be turned outward,Vfor instance, (although the south would do as well if the other polewas everywhere turned outward on the boat.) After passingthrough thewharf-magnets and magnetizing them, the current will then pass throughto an electrode similar to that at F, and on the opposite side of thewharf pass through the water and return to the boat through theelectrode E on the starboard side of the same. Thence it passes throughthe magnets D, causing the opposite pole to turn outward to that whichis turned out on the wharf, thence into the battery or dynamo again, andthe circuit will be complete. Of course it is evidentthat the currentmay take exactly the opposite course, passing out of the battery throughthe magnet first and out at the electrode E. Of course this is, asdescribed, only one way in which the whole may be mounted, as it isevident that the switch may be on the wharf instead of on the boat; hutthis will not introduce any new mode of operation.

While the boat is at sea, of course the current is shut off from themagnets and there is no waste of the battery-plates or of theirequivalent-s, the fuels in the boiler ruiming the dynamo. It is ofcourse evident that there will be a current and closed circuit betweenthe two electrodes on opposite sides of the boat or wharf, according towhich the battery is placed upon; but this is only fora moment, whilethe boat is approaching the wharf and until the opposite electrodesbetween the same sides of the boat and wharf are nearer together thanthose on opposite sides of the boat or wharf. Indeed, if the current benot turned on until after these oppositc electrodes are thus broughtclose there will he no closed circuit at all between the idleelectrodes. Now it is evident that either in this double system or inone of the singlesystem modifications described hereinafter thebatteries may he replaced by a dynamo or other form of electro-inagneticmachine, which may be run either by the main boiler of the boat, if itbe a steamboat, or by a donkey-engine and secondary boiler, as may bedesired. Again, the ordinary battery may be replaced by astoragebattery, if desired, which last maybe stored either during thepassage of the boat or during some idle interval of the same. Indeed, Ido not limit myself to the use of any particular source of electricityin connection with my mooring system, as any well-known source will beapplicable to the same.

Thus far I have confined myself to the description of the double system,and have done so'because the same showed forth all the features of bothsystems, and thus the single system may be equally well set Aforth byreference to the details of the double.

lhe single system is that in which t-he at tracting-surfaces are not.magnets on both sides, but in which magnets on one side are adapted tocome into contact with. neutral electric surfaces of contact on theother. The neutral surfaces may be masses of isolated iron-steel orother electro-magnetic metal placed the proper intervals to come intoproper contact with magnets placed upon the wharf or boat. l wish itunderstood also that either in the single or the double system. themasses, whether active or neutral, which are adapted to come intocontact should be so spaced that any slight motion out ot' the exactcontact with corresponding masses will cause the bridging of the spacesbetween the opposite masses, in order that there may he no danger ofalternate arrangement of the masses and the consequent inoperativeconnection of the boat and wharf. Where there is rough. water or anyconsiderable tide, the vessel or the wharf should be provided with asheet or apron of metal (iron being best) adapted to come into contactwith the mag nets upon the wharf or the vessel, respectively.

In Fig. 2, at the left of the barge, there is shown a plan of such anapron or sheet at I, which is placed in front of the boat where the sameis adapted to be brought into contact with the wharf. In this case thewharf is seen to be provided with a battery and electro-1nagnets G andC, controlled by a man upon the same through the medium of the switch II. lvhen the apron I comes into contact with the magnets and the switchis closed by the man on the wharf, there is a strong attraction betweenthe magnets andthe apron, and the height of the tide makes no difference to the whole, as the vertical extent of the apron will compensatefor thc Variance in the height of the vessel above a given datum. I donot wish to be limited to the use of an apron, as vertical rods orisolated masses of IOO IIO

any kind constituting neutral magnetic points will be within the scopeof my invention; nor need the neutral surface or surfaces be solely uponthe vessel itself. Y

Fig. 3 shows the apron I upon the front of the dock or wharf and thecorresponding magnets upon the boat, governed by the switch H within thepilot-house J. The action of this modiiication is the same as that shownin Fig. 1, save that it is governed by the switch in the pilot-houseinstead of upon the wharf. In Fig. 3 there is also shown the connectionof the battery or motor or dynamo with side magnets, which are adaptedto come in contact either with a metal apron For corresponding magnetsupon awharf which it is adapted to come alongside of. This arrangementwill frequently b'e employed, especially in excursion-steamers or otherboats. The 1n aguets at the side may be replaced by aprons, of course,inthe same way as those in the front of the vessel. The action will be thesame as in the front mooring.

It will be found advisable, especially where my device is used onsalt-water, to cover and protect the ends of the attracting masses withsome waterproof substance, such as a covering of parafine or a veil ofoiled silk or cloth. Such a measure will suggest itself to any oneskilled in the art, however, and is advanced as a suggestion forpractical use. This covering willnot obstruct the action of the magnets.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact detailsas shown and described, as there may be various changes made by theexercise of mere mechanical skill vwithout departing from the spirit ofmy invention.

Of course I do not confine myself to the use of the devices abovedescribed for mooring ships or vessels to the shore or to wharves orpiers. It is evident that there may be a mooring-surface on each of twoships, for the purpose of towage, and that one of said surfaces l may beneutral or both magnetic without departing from the spirit of myinvention, and I wish the following claims to be distinctly interpretedin the light of this statement.

1. A boat having amooring-surface, in combination with a shoremooring-surface, one of said surfaces being magnetizable and the otheracting as a keeper, substantially as described.

2. A boat provided with a magnetizable mooring-surface, substantially asdescribed.

3. 4A boat having electro-magnets for mooring, in combination with asecond mooringsurface consisting of a metal apron capable of acting as akeeper, substantially as specilied.

4. A wharf having mooring electro-magnets connected by wires andprovided with waterelectrodes, in combination with a boat havingelectro-magnets for contact with said magnets on the wharf,water-electrodes connected with said boat-magnets, and a batteryconnected with the magnetic series for the purpose of magnetizing thesame, substantially as specified.

5. A wharf having electro-magnets thereon for mooring and electrodesunder water at each side of said wharf, connected with. said magnets, incombination with a boat having a series of mooring-magnets, electrodesconnected with said magnets and under water at each side of said boat, abattery connected with said magnets on the boat, and a switch in thecircuit for controlling said magnets from the ship, substantially asspecified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HABLAN P. YVELLMAN.

IVitnesses:

JAMES TRIMBLE, Louis PRICHARD.

